Rail commuters in Leeds are set for more misery in the build-up to Christmas as five more days of strike action are planned over the festive period.

The RMT has been at loggerheads with Northern all year amid claims that the train firm was threatening to remove the conductor or guard role from its trains.

No progress has been made on the issue, resulting in 37 days of strike action over the past year, including every Saturday since September.

Five more Saturday walk-outs are planned for December, one of the busiest times of year, with very few Northern services operating after 5pm, leaving Christmas revellers with no means of getting out or home.

It could cause major issues for Josh Warrington fans heading to his IBF featherweight title bout with Carl Frampton on Saturday, December 22.

Fans could struggle to get to and from Manchester for Josh Warrington's fight with Carl Frampton on Saturday, December 22 (Image: 2018 Getty Images)

Routes from Leeds that are affected include to Bradford, Harrogate, Sheffield, Wakefield and Manchester - although TransPennine Express is still running its services to the latter.

This week in a bid to end the conflict the Department for Transport and Transport for the North (TfN), have both said they support keeping a second person on trains.

Northern has now said it does too and has urged the RMT back to the negotiating table.

RMT industrial action over the role of the train guard (Image: Julian Hamilton / Daily Mirror)

The RMT has also claimed it is open for talks, following the breakdown of discussions earlier in the autumn.

But a spokesman for Northern told LeedsLive that the London based union was still not responding to its plea to suspend the strikes.

Transport for the North's statement said it 'did not support removing the second person from trains, particularly when a significant proportion of rail stations in the North of England are classed as inaccessible for disabled passengers'.

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Its chief executive, Barry White, said: "Businesses across the North’s villages, towns and cities are reaching their busiest time of year.

"Christmas markets are transforming our bustling centres and people want to enjoy all our economies have to offer. But this is being hampered by uncertainty and disruption on the rail network. People are choosing to make other plans as a result.

"It’s apparent that we need to restore confidence in the North’s railways. There needs to be a way forward.

"Now more than ever, passengers in the North need reliability as they go about what is a busy time for everyone. We urge both parties to begin meaningful discussions as soon as possible."

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David Brown, Managing Director at Northern, said: "It’s welcome news that the Government has confirmed that a second person will be retained on board our trains.

"There is no reason for the RMT to continue its disruptive and economically damaging strikes in the build up to Christmas.

"We invited RMT to ACAS talks in the summer and were willing to discuss the options that they themselves put forward, including those RMT had agreed with other train operators.

"Despite those talks breaking down, we have remained open to further discussions, but all attempts have been rejected by RMT.

"I look forward to RMT suspending their December strikes, and accepting my long-standing invitation to get back round the table at ACAS to resolve their dispute.

"Any remaining concerns about safety, security or accessibility have now been answered – there will be a second person on-board to meet customers’ needs in those areas, and in the other vital customer service work they do."

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RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: "In light of the statement from Transport for the North, RMT awaits any new proposals from Northern which maintain for the travelling public, the same level of safety, security and access that they enjoy at the moment based on the guarantee of the guard on every train.

"The RMT remains available for talks."

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